Lawmakers Propose Hudson Valley’s First Public Energy Company

Winter is wrapping up, but many energy customers are still left with having to pay high electricity bills from this past season. Some lawmakers argue it’s because the companies are privately owned, but what would it look like if your local utility company were publicly owned?Introduced by District 103 Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha and New York Senator Michelle Hinchey, the Hudson Valley Power Authority Act proposes to create a publicly-owned corporation that would acquire Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation and run it with no profit motive. Central Hudson is currently privately owned by Fortis Inc., a Canadian holding company. It services the Mid-Hudson Valley area, including Ulster, Sullivan, and Orange counties.Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with Assemblymember Shrestha about how the state bill would work.